Daily Pose: Help for Hips, Back, and Core

Daily Meditation: When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills. 

The Fire Hydrant: I have used this pose many times for warming up my hips before running as well as basic hip, back, and core strengthening. In the video below, our model gets on all fours,  lifts the right,  and then the left leg up and down while keeping a bent knee. 

I recommend some other variations, such as lifting your leg and holding it (envision dog peeing on fire hydrant here). Or lifting your leg, straightening it, and then holding it. You can also left the opposite arm and reach in front of you or out to the side to add additional back/ core strength and balance. 

Fire Hydrant Kicks: Get on all fours, lift right leg, keeping knee bent, and kick leg out to the right and then as far back behind you as you can, almost as if you're kicking towards your left butt cheek. When you kick out to the right you have the option of straightening your leg, but keep it bent as you kick it behind you. I perform about 10-15 reps and then I switch sides.  This is one of my favorite pre-run warmups because it is a dynamic stretch and gets circulation into the hips. 

Fire Hydrant Butt Exercises